Regional Human Rights Training Session in West Africa

The Regional Human Rights Training Session in West Africa (SRFDH) is a regional training program which provides a unique opportunity for human rights workers, defenders, activists and educators from civil society organizations, institutions and government agencies, to deepen their understanding of human rights and the essential role of human rights education in effecting and sustaining social change. Developed in partnership with Equitas training alumni from across francophone and West Africa, the goal of the SRFDH is to strengthen the capacity of a regional pool of human rights organizations and institutions to use a human rights-based approach to advance gender equality and human rights through human rights education, to build a global culture of human rights.

7th edition of the SRFDH : November 12 to 25, 2023 in Senegal 

The call for applications for the next SRFDH is currently open. 

Application deadline : April 21, 2023. 

Please note that this training program is only offered in French. For information about the East Africa Human Rights Program, which is offered in English, please visit our page East Africa Human Rights Program.

The SRFDH is a regional training program which provides a unique opportunity for human rights workers, defenders, activists and educators to deepen their understanding of human rights and the essential role of human rights education in effecting and sustaining social change. It places a strong emphasis on transfer of knowledge and follow-up activities. During the program, participants will be expected to develop an individual plan to apply the knowledge and skills acquired, including international human rights standards and human rights education strategies. Therefore, when applying, interested individuals and their home organization should consider how the transfer of learning might take place within and beyond the organization after the program.

Since the inception of the SRFDH, we have:

•  Developed a “home-grown” human rights training and education curriculum based on relevant regional human rights issues and concerns, such as the prevention of torture.
• Established a pool of core human rights training facilitators with demonstrated commitment to the cause of establishing a culture of citizenship and human rights in the region.

The SRFDH 2023 is organized by the Réseau Sénégal pour l’Éducation aux Droits Humains (RESEDHU) and the Rencontre Africaine des Droits de l’Homme (RADDHO) in collaboration with Equitas. It is the result of a collaboration between numerous networks of human rights educators who are former participants in Equitas programs in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, DRC and Rwanda.

The SRFDH is an integral part of Equitas’ work in West Africa and is part of the Advancing Equality through Human Rights Education program funded by the Canadian government through Global Affairs Canada.